Have You Ever?
Have you ever dug around a container in your kitchen pantry looking for the elusive piece of chocolate, tea bag, or other such treat? This happened to me yesterday, as it occasionally does when I do not keep up regular grocery shopping. Digging, and more digging, to find one last tea bag of the type…
Enrichment Post: Summer is the time to learn Origami!
I cannot exactly remember when Ben’s obsession with Origami began. It was sometime in fourth grade, or possibly the summer before. Origami is a great craft to learn. Summer is the perfect time to learn it. It is a craft that can be as simple as a crane or as complicated as a dodecahedron or…
The Intangible Honesty Box
My husband grew up selling concord grapes at a roadside stand. His family had several rows of grapes that were still producing when we started dating thirty – three years ago. From what I understand, the grapes would be picked and placed on a table or stand in the front yard, near the joining of…
You Know Who You Are
I shed a few tears before I even arose from bed this morning. It told me that my emotions were close to the surface. Today was the day I would officially end my twelve year’s of leadership as the founder and teacher of an after school garden club at one of our local elementary schools….
Waiting Patiently
We have some large projects going on at our house right now. The siding is being replaced and a few of the gardens are being revamped, once the siding is finished on each section. My husband is handy, so the siding job is his. My job, fitting for a nature lover and master gardener, is…
Has Education Become a Game? A Call for Action.
Right now, I find myself in a place where I have to stop trying to make a difference. I have realized that I cannot win this game. This year I spoke out about some teaching practices and administrative decisions that I disagreed with from my perspective as a parent and student advocate. I spoke out,…
Silent Sunday: Our Nation’s Capital
College Admission Tests
It’s official! I have a high school senior once again! With my oldest graduating from college this year, I find myself headed into the busy time of preparing for college applications with my next oldest! Today, as I write, he is taking the SAT or Scholastic Aptitude Test or more recently known as the Scholastic…
Enrichment through Creativity
Creativity feeds the soul! I am not sure where this phrase or expression came from but I absolutely believe in it. Last weekend, I spent Saturday at an art gallery in Northeast Iowa that carries my handcrafted jewelry for the tourist season. There, I showed children how to make beaded bookmarks, key rings, and bracelets….